


Small Human, Big Heart

by Ellienerd14



Series: Dear Matti [4]
Category: Class (TV 2016)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Quill and a smol bean, Quill secretly likes Matteusz, cuteness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-17
Updated: 2017-10-17
Packaged: 2019-01-18 19:49:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12394989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellienerd14/pseuds/Ellienerd14
Summary: Quill meets another Andrzejewski who is just as kind hearted and likeable as her brother. Not that Quill would ever admit that.~~~"Matti told me when we talk earlier he is living with his boyfriend, which I knew, and also living with a teacher who liked coffee, cats and shouting at people."The Small Human was related to Matteusz then. It made sense: they had similar accents she now placed as Polish and looked similar enough they must be siblings. In fact, Quill could remember Matteusz telling her not to eat the chocolate that he brought for his sister. (She had eaten it anyway out of spite. She felt a little bad now, when the Small Andrzejewski had let her pet a kitten.)





	Small Human, Big Heart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CloOm](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CloOm/gifts), [evilqueenofgallifrey (MayFairy)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MayFairy/gifts).



> Dedicated to Cela and Quill's biggest fans of course.

The small human wasn't bothering Quill. Usually anyone who loitered in their garden that long would have been threatened viciously but given how small she looked, part of Quill held back. The Small Human was clearly intending to stay a while - she had a book (a simplistic looking one although she wasn't the best judge of that) and a mug of tea she balanced on the wall next to her. Drinking tea was apparently an Important British Thing (which didn't make sense because Matteusz was always drinking it) but carrying a mug around still seemed extreme.

The Small Human's mug had a cat on it with sunglasses on, an image Quill found so amusing she spent twenty minutes locating and ordering one for herself. (So did her backpack.)

Speaking of cats, the skittish kitten that had been lurking on the street for days was back. Quill had tried a range of internet based advice to attract it but neither leaving food or approaching it slowly and calmly had worked. The kitten however, seemed quite fond of the Small Human and started to rub against her hand.

She pushed open the front door and stepped outside. The Small Human looked up and grinned. She seemed familiar although Quill couldn't place it.

"Hello!" she greeted cheerily in a soft accent that reminded Quill of Matteusz' own. "I didn't know anyone was home."

"I don't like answering the door."

The kitten meowed. The Small Human laughed and kept petting it. "I think she is saying hello to you."

Quill eyed up the Small Human. "You can translate?" she asked. "Is that how you got it to sit with you?"

She shook her head. "She is sat with me because we're friends. Ash is my cat."

"She is quite sweet," Quill admitted. She had a soft spot for cats and Ash was very fluffy with a white patch around her eyes.

"Would you like to pet her?" the Small Human offered. "Ash likes stroking by her ears."

Quill didn't need to be asked twice. She stroked the kitten by the ears and almost ( _almost_ , because she had a reputation to uphold) smiled. The kitten purred and nuzzled against her hand. It almost made socialising with the Small Human worth it.

"She runs off usually."

"Ash is a clever cat. She is looking for someone. And she found him, I think. Because you are Miss Quill, yes?"

She frowned. "Yes? How do you know that?"

"Matti told me when we talk earlier he is living with his boyfriend, which I knew, and also living with a teacher who liked coffee, cats and shouting at people."

The Small Human was related to Matteusz then. It made sense: they had similar accents she now placed as Polish and looked similar enough they must be siblings. In fact, Quill could remember Matteusz telling her not to eat the chocolate that he brought for his sister. (She had eaten it anyway out of spite. She felt a little bad now, when the Small Andrzejewski had let her pet a kitten.)

"Matteusz isn't in," she told her. "He's on a date with Charles, the poor soul."

"I know. So I will wait. I've been waiting to see him for a month."

Quill sent him a text to Matteusz that his sister was outside. Not that she'd admit it came out of a place of care for either of the siblings.

Ash meowed for attention; Quill returned to stroking the kitten, slipping her phone away.

"My name is Marcelina."

"Interesting."

They sat in silence for a little longer. Marcelina looked off into the street, as if she could will her brother to appear.

"Do you look after Matti?" she asked. "I want to know if he's happy."

Quill didn't know the answer to that. He seemed relatively happy and based off the amount of flirting she had to witness, the Prince seemed to be causing that. (It was almost sickening.) But there were moments when she would catch him staring off into space, so distracted by his thoughts he forgot to smile. She blamed the terrible human parenting.

"He's finding ways to be happy," Quill answered. It was truth enough.

"Matti is so brave," Marcelina said. "I miss him a lot. Is hard to be brave without him."

"He's brave for putting up with Charles everyday but someone has to."

Marcelina laughed in the carefree way only a child could manage. It was almost cute.

"Have not met him."

"You've not missing much," Quill reassured her. "Trust me kid."

Marcelina laughed again. "You are not shouting at me."

"I'm off working hours," she replied dryly. More laughter. "Did Matteusz warn you about my status as the school asshole?"

"He said you are hostile sometimes."

Quill shrugged. It was nothing she didn't already know. "Matteusz is just too nice to say asshole." 

Marcelina smiled at her. "I think you are nice."

"No one thinks I'm nice." Quill wasn't complaining. No one needed to like her. It was much more fun being an asshole anyway.

"I do. You are like cactus."

"Excuse me?"

"Cactus are prickly outside," she explained. "But I still like them."

Quill would have to research it. Something about the optimism made her compliment seem very genuine.

"Thank you." It was a big thing for her to say but Marcelina didn't act like she'd burst into flames. She just kept smiling.

Marcelina seemed full of nervous energy. Her legs were too short to reach the ground which she kept tapping against the wall. She wanted to see her brother, that much was obvious; Quill send another text to Matteusz. She was getting invested - how pathetic.

It was surprising touching when he actually did show up. Quill registered Marcelina's squeal first and stepped forward out of some protective instinct she hadn't realised she'd developed (not that she could act on it). Marcelina hopped off the wall so quickly it startled Ash who scurried off. (It was vaguely disappointing.) She left her half empty drink and bag behind and just ran towards her brother. (Quill would never leave her things behind - her military training meant she had more common sense than to leave resources behind.)

Matteusz picked her up and the two siblings clung to each other. Quill could tell how much they both needed it - they were both crying. She had to wipe one of her own tears away, which was slightly pathetic. So much for her being heartless. They were too wrapped up with each other they didn't notice her slip back inside, taking Marcelina's bag with her. She left it on the kitchen table, leaving the two siblings to their reunion. She had more tact than the Prince, which was hardly a big surprise.

If she saw her sister again (her real sister, in their real form, no poor,  _nice_  impression from the Lankin) Quill won't be rushing to hug her. But humans did things differently. They saw families as allies not competitors. Which probably explained that despite the general terribleness of his parents, Matteusz was still upset to be apart from them.

Matteusz had left juice in the fridge for his sister. He did so with an overall polite post-it note requesting she did not touch it, thank-you-in-advance-Quill. There was a sense of fondness with every small gesture he did for his sister that was almost sweet.

Quill could see why: Marcelina was borderline likeable and she'd helped her pet Ash. The cat had evidently returned because she could hear Matteusz talking to it. (Maybe he had cat powers too. It could be a Polish thing.) She also seemed to be the only one of his relatives with any common sense.

"... because I may only be eight but I am very capable of hurting you if needed." Marcelina seemed to be aiming her less than intimating threat at the Prince. Quill was liking her more and more.

"You do not need to worry Cela," Matteusz replied, laughing at her antics. "Charlie is not going to be a bad boyfriend."

"He better not be," Marcelina said sternly. Quill smiled into her coffee: she was a fighter.

"I promise," the Prince added. He'd take a pledge if she asked, Quill was sure. The Rhodians always loved pledges; she got sick of all the ceremonies.

"Good."

Marcelina could hold her own. She marched into the kitchen, seeming even tinier next to her brother. (Personally, Quill found his height insulting. She needed bigger heels.)

"So, Andrzejewski junior has returned?" Quill poured her some juice, ignoring the skeptic look from his royal pain. "I hope you brought the cat."

Marcelina nodded. "Ash is taking a nap on the sofa." She accepted Quill's offer of juice. "Thank you!"

"I was hardly  _slaving_  away over it," she replied, glaring at the Prince until he squirmed.  _Good_.

"Still kind. Manners are important."

"I can't say I share that sentiment."

Marcelina looked puzzled. "But you are teacher?"

"I teach  _physics_  not manners."

The Prince looked like he had something to say about her manners. She pushed past them before he could ruin her good mood. There was a cat in the living room after all.

* * *

Marcelina was growing on Quill - a human expression that seemed quite ironic given how tiny the girl was. She had been quizzing the Prince for an hour about Matteusz and whether or not he 'deserved' him. (He didn't, Quill decided a minute in.) It was entertaining to listen to her interview him and amusing to watch her scribble notes. (Marcelina was actually drawing a cat, Quill had spotted. Another reason to like her.)

Marcelina's main priority was clearly spending time with her brother. She had given him a bracelet which was rainbow coloured. (Whatever that meant, it made him all emotional.) She was quizzing the Prince  _for Matteusz_. She was defying her parents  _for Matteusz._ She was being brave  _for Matteusz._ Which was exactly why it was so sad when she finally asked the question that was clearly on her mind all evening. She waited till the Prince had gone first and then asked Matteusz:

"Do you think you can ever come home Matti?"

He sighed, like he knew it was coming. "I do not think so. Our parents beliefs are strong and I go against them. For me to come home, one of us would have to change. Impossible for that to be me."

Her big eyes welled up tears. "I miss you Matti."

"I know. I miss you very much too Cela. But I am safer here than back home. You know that."

She nodded, defeated. "Yes. Home is not the same without you. I go and sit in your room and look at your old Narnia posters and empty bed and it feels wrong. You are like ghost."

He knelt down so they were face to face. "You just have to be brave for Cela."

"Okay." She sighed. "I wish we were back in Poland. Then you could live with Babcia and you won't be so far away."

"I think..." Matteusz checked Charlie wasn't listening, "I think our lives would be easier if we hadn't moved from Poland. But we moved for a reason. I miss my Babcia too."

"She called Mummy and shouted at her when I told her you were gone," Marcelina informed him. "Did not work. Mummy still is angry at you."

"I know."

"Not fair."

"I know," Matteusz repeated. "Speaking of her, you can not tell them where you were today. Tell her you were with Adam and Jade like you were supposed to be."

"Okay."

"Thank you."

Marcelina leant forward to engulf him in a tight hug. "I have to go home now. You look sad. I can tell."

"Yes."

"Please say I will see you again."

Matteusz nodded. "We will find a way Cela. Go get ready now."

"Yes Matti." She trailed out the hallway to collect her shoes.

Matteusz sighed to himself heavily. He seemed much younger suddenly and Quill had a rush of unexpected sympathy for him.

"You're parents are despicable."

He looked up. Quill had a feeling he forget she was there. "Yes," he agreed.

"How they raised such likeable children as you and Marcelina is a mystery."

He smiled at her victoriously. "You said you liked me!"

"I did no such thing."

"You called me likeable. That implies you like me! I knew it!"

Quill rolled her eyes. "Don't have a heart attack about the information Matteusz."

"And you like Cela."

"Drop it," she said firmly. "You're ruining my reputation."

"Matti?" Marcelina saved Quill from any further embarrassment. "Is raining. Do you have a spare coat for me?"

"I'll look," he promised, heading upstairs.

"Hello," Marcelina said, taking the seat next to Quill. "Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

Marcelina ignored her tone. "Can you promise to watch out for Matti for me?"

Quill already did that, in more of a literal saving the world on a weekly basis way. "Sure."

"You have to take it seriously," Marcelina said sternly. "Can you  _pinky_   _promise_?"

The phrase was foreign to her. "What?"

"A pinky promise is a big deal," she explained. "Bigger than a regular promise. It shows big commitment. And if you break it,  _I'll know_."

Quil was surprised she hadn't heard of this pinky promise if it was such a big deal. She did filter out most of what the human said. That was probably why.

"I'll make that oath."

"Give me your hand," Marcelina ordered. She connected their small fingers together and shook it. "Promise to protect Matti?"

"I do," Quill promised solemnly.

Marcelina let go of her hand. "Thank you."

"Don't worry. I will keep that oath."

"I believe you." Marcelina took out a small flower from her pocket. "Some cacti have flowers."

On that riddle, she left with Ash following after her. Quill stared at the white flower resting on her palm. A reminder of a pinky promise she made. She tucked it into her own jacket pocket and vowed to keep it safe for Marcelina.

**Author's Note:**

> This is so pure. I feel so happy to have finished it! 
> 
> Let me know what you think! Cela is my favourite OC and I'd love to hear what you think of her and this fic! (If you like her don't forget to check out the rest of my 'Dear Matti' series)


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